Wall and partition construction



1943. A. F. MARSHALL 2,325,694

WALL AND PARTITION CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 25, 1941 eta i 10; zany/1. I

Patent ed Aug. 3, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wall and partition construction and it has particular reference to a novel form of building partition sustained by compression between the adjacent walls, floor and ceiling of said building.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a portable partition which may be erected at a considerable saving in time and expense as compared to conventional plaster lath partitions and in addition, the partition of the invention has a further advantage in that the elements thereof may be dismantled without the usual disturbance, dust and confusion and reassembled at another location to again serve as a partition without reducing in any respect the original strength or appearance thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a partition whose supporting fabrication is of such design and construction as to sustain a partition of great strength and durability without the necessity for any form of bonding agent, nails, bolts, screws or other means ordinarily employed for securing conventional partitions and due to these features, much of the mass, partially depended upon heretofore for strength in a wall or partition, is eliminated, resulting in a highly desirable structure of considerably less weight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a partition having high acoustical qualities.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the

I-Il

invention has further reference to certain fea- V strip or rail and illustrates themanner in which i one of the studs is joined thereto, the latter being shown fragmentarily.

Figure 5 is a transverse section on line 55 on Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of a floor strip or rail.

Figure 7 is a plan view of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a floor rail and stud.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of one of the conforming wall units.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the stud holding lower plug, detached.

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the plug shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a. top plan view of the plug shown in Fi 10.

Fig. 13 is a bottom plan view of the plug shown in Fi 10.

This application is a development of the'partition structure described and claimed in the application filed September 4, 1941, for Wall and partition assembly, Serial No. 408,725. The present invention provides for the erection of a partition, equal in strength and serviceability to that shown and described in the above application and to conventional plaster lath partitions, yet it has definite advantage in that it may be erected without defacing the wall, ceiling or floor between which it is built. In addition, all of the associated parts are of fixed dimensions, making for ease and speed in assembling and dismantling which requires no unusual skill or special tools and equipment. Moreover the wall and ceiling rails and studs retaining the wall units, which may be especially molded from gypsum, Zonolite or similar materials, are so related that compression by these elements imposed on the partition to insure its stability is uniformly distributed throughout the partition so that there will be no tendency of the latter to yield under these forces to cause warping or disalignment of the partition from a true perpendicular or horizontal position.

Combined with the foregoing features of the wall proper, the invention includes the complementary ground to accommodate the baseboard which furtherlends to both speed of assembling and the appearance of the completed structure.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is primarily made to Figure 1 wherein is shown a partially completed partition and in which in denotes wall units especially molded from a suitable plastic having both strength and acoustical properties. One of these units is fragmentarily shown in Figure 9, in which it will be observed that its edges are formed with V-shaped grooves a so that they will conformably receive the similarly shaped retaining elements in a manner to be presently explained.

It is understood that the partition is retained in position by friction and compression only and to this end, a floor strip I i is provided which consists of a rail [2 having an inverted V-shaped rib 13 extending longitudinally thereof its full length. To reinforce this rail and to prevent spreading thereof under compression, a strip I 4 extends its length underneath and its edges b are turned upwardly over the edges of the rail l2 as shown particularly in Figure 8. The rib I3 is provided with apertures IE5 at equidistantly spaced intervals for a purpose to be presently described.

The upper or ceiling rail I6 is identical in. construction to the rail l2, having spaced apertures c therein, and in fact is interchangeable therewith and it lies parallel with the floor rail I2, being held in position solely by the studs which will now be described. The upper ceiling rail i6 is initially held in position prior to the assembly of the studs l1 and wall units ill by light nails or by merely propping same against the ceiling by means of suitable braces orstruts.

The studs are constructed of pressed metal members H, which reference will be hereinafter generally employed to indicate the studs, and which members also are provided with longitudinal, V-shaped ribs l8. These members are flanged as shown and with these flanges placed and secured together with the V-ribs opposed, a substantially square body in transverse section is provided which has great resistance to both axial and lateral pressures.

The studs ll, constructed as explained, are each provided with means by which they are held between and perpendicular to the floor and celling rails I2 and It. The operative position of the stud with respect to the rails is as shown in Figures 4 and 8, that is, with its flanges at right angles to the flanges of the rails. A plug 19,

shown more particularly in Figs. -13, inclusive,

and substantially square in transverse section is provided for insertion into the lower end of the stud as shown in Figure 8. A shoulder d on the plug provides a seat for the stud and the plug, being obliquely recessed in V-form from corner to corner, is seated flush across the V-shaped rib l3 of the floor rail l2, with the points of the V resting on the opposing flanges of the rail. Centrally disposed in the V-shaped recess of the plug I9 is an integral pin and which pin enters one of the holes l5 which are equally spaced throughout the length of the rail 12. Obviously, the pins hold the plugs l9 and consequently the studs l'l against any force tending to displace the same from their proper positions in the assembly.

The upper ends of the studs H are similarly held in secure relation to the ceiling rail I6 but provision is made at the tops of the studs for placing the studs under compression between. the rails and which force not only insures vertical rigidity of the studs but likewise precludes any possibility of slippage of the horizontal rails l2 or IS on the floor or ceiling. A square plug 2| (Fig. 4) is fitted into the upper end of each of the studs l1 and being internally threaded, this plug receives a threaded pin 22. The free end of the pin'22 enters a recess 23 in another plug 24, whose construction is similar to that of the plug l9 at the foot of the stud in that it is provided with an oblique, V-shaped recess to straddle the correspondingly shaped rib of the rail Hi. This plug 24 also has an axial, centrally located pm 25 which enters one of the apertures c of the rail 16 which are as previously stated, in perpendicular alignment with the apertures IS in the floor rail I2. It is apparent from the foregoing that when the lower end of the stud is in proper position with respect to the floor rail l2, and the upper end disposed as described, a suitable wrench, such as a self gripping pipe wrench applied to the threaded pin 22 to rotate the same will have the effect of elongating the stud, bringing the same under compression to bear against the rails-l2 and E8 to set up a rigid fabrication.

In erecting the partition, the wallline is laid out and the floor and ceiling rails cut to measurement. A strip 26 of heavy hardware paper or lik material, (Fig. 8) is first placed on the floor and the floor rail l2 placed thereon. This paper strip is to protect the floor surface against defacement and when the wall is completed, its edges are cut flush with the wall. Such a strip is likewise disposed between the ceiling rail l6 and ceiling, and between the partition and abutting wall.

When the floor rail I2 is properly positioned, a ground or baseboard unit 21 (Figs. 1 and 2) is placed at the beginning of the partition. It will be observed that these ground units are slightly less in height than the baseboard 28 and are preferably slightly thicker than the wall units Ill in order to correspond to the combined thicknesses of the plaster coats 29 so that the completed wall surfaces will be flush to the floor. Moreover, these ground units are of wood or of such other similar material so that the baseboard 28 may be readily nailed or otherwise secured thereto.

The ground units are, like the wall units I0, provided with V-shaped grooves to conform to therails and studs which are the sole retaining elements for both the ground and wall units.

After placing the ground units in one section, wall units are disposed thereupon. The dimensions of the latter are preferably such as to require but two in superimposed relation for each section. As the units are placed as described, the next adjacent stud I1 is set up and so on until the last two sections are required to be erected. At this point, as illustrated in Figure 2,

the end or casement stud is set up with the outer grooved edges of the last two sections of units properly positioned with respect to the casement stud and the last erected stud. The intermediate stud is interposed between the inner or contiguous edges of the units which are in angular relationship with the finished portion of the wall. The inner edges of the units are then thrust inwardly into alignment with the wall to align the ends of the stud with their respective apertures of the floor and ceiling rails after which the plugs I 9 and 24 are properly positioned on the rails and the stud placed under compressive tension by the pins 22 of the companion studs. Thus the wall is completed except for the finish coat of plaster 29 and the baseboard 28.

It will be noted that the edges of the wall and ground units ar beveled or chamfered at c. When relatively arranged in a wall, these edges form V-shaped recesses both vertically and horizontally. When the plaster coat is applied, these V-shaped channels are filled with plaster, therer by reinforcing the wall as well as the plaster coat at the joints to obviate cracking of the finish at these points.

It is apparent that in the event it is found necessary to dismantle the partition so constructed, it is a simple matter, in view of the uniformity of dimensions, to locate the studs by measurements and by means such as a powered disc saw or like instrument, the plaster coat may be furrowed out of the grooves at the joints, the tension on the studs relieved and the latter with the wall units removed with but little dust or confusion. Moreover, when removed, the wall will leave no noticeable traces at the location of its having been erected.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A wall and partition construction including floor and ceiling rails having substantially longitudinally extending ribs provided with equidistantly spaced apertures, said rail being arranged relatively parallel on the fioor and ceiling of a building with said apertures in vertical alignment, extensible studs having end members receivable in said apertures, said studs being comprised of flanged, co-extensive ribbed members in opposed relationship and held under compression by said end members between said floor and ceiling rails and ground, and wall units having grooved edges corresponding to the ribs of said rails and studs superimposed between the latter to form the body of said wall.

2. In a wall and partition construction, longitudinally ribbed floor and ceiling rails having relatively spaced and aligned apertures throughout their lengths, extensible studs having opposed longitudinal ribs of a cross-sectional shape conforming with that of the ribs of said rails, end members carried by said studs, receivable in the apertures of said rails, said studs when forcibly extended being held under compression between said rails, and wall units whose edges are shaped to be correspondingly received by the ribs of said rails and studs to be sustained thereby and to form the body of said wall.

3. In a partition for buildings, a pair of rails of similar construction contacting with the floor and ceiling respectively of a building and having longitudinally extending ribs provided with spaced and vertically aligned apertures, extensible studs having cross-sectional shapes on opposite faces similar to that of said rails, means carried by the ends of said studs receivable in the apertures of said rails, means for forcibly elongating said studs to impose compression therein whereby to sustain the same and said rails by compressive friction between said wall and ceiling, and wall units having edges corresponding with the ribs of the rails and with the cross-sectional shapes of the studs respectively and superimposed between said studs and rails to complete said partition.

4. A partition construction for buildings, floor and ceiling rails having substantially V-shaped and longitudinally extending ribs provided with spaced apertures, extensible studs vertically disposed between said rails having means entering the apertures of the latter to hold the same against displacement, said studs likewise having V-shaped ribs, means carried by an end of each stud to forcibly eflect elongation thereof and to impose longitudinal compression therein whereby to sustain the said rails by frictional contact with the floor and ceiling, and wall units having v-shaped edges corresponding with the ribs of said rails'and studs to hold the same in position therebetween and to complete the body of said partition.

5. A partition construction including a pair of rails each having longitudinally extending raised rib portions, studs having opposed ribs identical to those of said rails and disposed between the latter in spaced relationship, means carried by the studs to effect elongation thereof to produce compression within to sustain said studs and rails by frictional contact against the floor and ceiling, and wall unit whose edges conform with the ribs of said studs and rails and confined therebetween to hold the same in position to form the body of said partition.

6. A construction as set forth in claim 5 in which the rails are separated from the floor and ceiling by insulating strips of fibrous material.

7. A construction as recited in claim 5 in which the assembly of wall units is supplemented by nail receiving ground units of greater thickness than and of less height than that of a wall unit and having similarly profiled edges, upon which ground units the said wall units are superimposed.

8. In a construction as set forth in claim 5, said studs each having a plug secured to its lower end providing a seat for the stud and having a recess therein seating across, the raised portion of the lower rail to prevent rotation of said stud; and a second plug extensibly mounted at the upper end of the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the upper rail.

9. In a construction as set forth in claim 5, said studs each having a plug secured to its lower end providing a seat for the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the lower rail to prevent rotation of said stud; and a second plug extensibly mounted at the upper end of the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the upper rail; said plugs each having pins in their recessed portions entering holes in the raisedportions of the rails.

10. In a construction as set forth in claim 5, said studs each having a plug secured to its lower end providing a seat for the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the lower rail to prevent rotation of said stud: a second plug extending from the upper end of the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the upper rail; and said elongating means comprising a bolt threaded in the stud and rotatably engaging the second plug.

11. In a construction as set forth in claim 5, said studs each having a plug secured to its lower end providing a seat for the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the lower rail to prevent rotation of said stud a second plug extending from the upper end of the stud and having a recess therein seating across the raised portion of the upper rail; said plugs each having pins in their recessed portions entering holes in the raised portions of the rails; and said elongating means comprising a bolt threaded in the stud and rotatably engaging the 

